Oversized actuator and actuator assembly for a pressurized plastic vessel

Abstract

An oversized actuator and actuator assembly for a plastic vessel (or container) configured to hold a product under pressure, such as, for example, a lotion, cream, spray, ointment, gel or foam. The oversized actuator and actuator assembly are configured to be attached to what is considered to be a common, standard-sized valve cup (typically about 1.0 to 1.5 inches across) fastened to a common or standard-sized neck portion for a plastic vessel. Therefore, the actuator and actuator assembly of the present invention does not require that the shoulder of the plastic vessel to which they are attached have specialized geometry molded into the shoulder or body portions of the plastic vessel in order to hold the actuator or actuator assembly in place on the plastic vessel.

Claims

1. An actuator assembly for a plastic vessel for a product under pressure, the plastic vessel having a neck portion, a valve cup fastened to the neck portion, and a pressure valve extending from the valve cup, the valve cup having a valve cup cross-sectional area, the actuator assembly comprising: an adaptor; and an actuator body comprising a unitary piece of molded plastic material, the unitary piece of molded plastic material forming an actuating surface having an actuating surface cross-sectional area that is larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area, the actuating surface further having an outer edge, a valve interface and a dispensing nozzle, a sidewall, a gap separating the sidewall from the outer edge of the actuating surface, at least one bridge spanning the gap between the actuating surface and the sidewall, said at least one bridge connecting a portion of the actuating surface to a section of the sidewall, wherein the actuating surface is permitted to move relative to the sidewall by pivoting about the bridge, a flip-open undercap having a base wall configured to permit the actuator assembly and the plastic vessel to stand upright on a substantially flat supporting surface while the actuator assembly and the plastic vessel are fastened together, and at least one flexible hinge that movably connects the flip-open undercap to the sidewall and permits the flip-open undercap to pivot between an open position away from the actuating surface and a closed position adjacent to the actuating surface; wherein the adaptor is configured to fasten the actuator body to the valve cup on the plastic vessel so that activating the actuating surface will cause the valve interface to open the pressure valve on the plastic vessel to permit the product under pressure to pass out of the plastic vessel through the dispensing nozzle.

2. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the gap comprises an elastomeric plastic material.

3. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the adaptor comprises: a valve cup interface having at least one wall configured to form a frictional fit with an outer surface of the valve cup; and a flange extending outwardly from said at east one wall of the valve cup interface, the flange being arranged to form a second frictional fit with the sidewall.

4. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuating surface cross-sectional area is at least 50% larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area.

5. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuating surface cross-sectional area is at least 75% larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area.

6. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuating surface cross-sectional area is at least 100% larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area.

7. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein: the plastic vessel has a shoulder portion adjacent to the neck portion, the shoulder portion having a geometric shape and a shoulder portion cross-sectional area that is larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area; and the sidewall on the actuator assembly is configured to form a continuation of the geometric shape of the shoulder portion of the plastic vessel.

8. A container for a product under pressure, comprising: a plastic vessel having a neck portion; a valve cup fastened to the neck portion, the valve cup having a valve cup cross-sectional area, a pressure valve extending from the valve cup; an actuator body comprising a unitary piece of molded plastic material, the unitary piece of molded plastic material forming an actuating surface having an actuating surface cross-sectional area that is larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area, the actuating surface further having an outer edge, a valve interface and a dispensing nozzle, a sidewall, a gap separating the sidewall from the outer edge of the actuating surface, at least one bridge spanning the gap between the actuating surface and the sidewall, said at least one bridge connecting a portion of the actuating surface to a section of the sidewall, wherein the actuating surface is permitted to move relative to the sidewall by pivoting about the bridge, a flip-open undercap having a base wall configured to permit the actuator and the plastic vessel to stand upright on a substantially flat supporting surface while the actuator body and the plastic vessel are fastened together, and at least one flexible hinge that movably connects the flip-open undercap to the sidewall and permits the flip-open undercap to pivot between an open position away from the actuating surface and a closed position adjacent to the actuating surface; and an adaptor configured to fasten the actuator body to the valve cup so that activating the actuating surface will cause the valve interface to open the pressure valve on the plastic vessel to permit the product under pressure to pass out of the plastic vessel through the dispensing nozzle.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the gap comprises an elastomeric plastic material.

10. The container of claim 8, wherein the actuating surface cross-sectional area is at least 50% larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area.

11. The container of claim 8, wherein the actuating surface cross-sectional area is at least 100% larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area.

12. The container of claim 8, wherein: the plastic vessel has a shoulder portion adjacent to the neck portion, the shoulder portion having a geometric shape and a shoulder portion cross-sectional area that is larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area; and the sidewall on the actuator body is configured to form a continuation of the geometric shape of the shoulder portion of the plastic vessel.

13. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuating surface cross-sectional area is at least 25% larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area.

14. The actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve cup is 1.0 to 1.5 inches across.

15. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the valve cup is 1.0 to 1.5 inches across.

16. The actuator assembly of claim 5, wherein the valve cup is 1.0 to 1.5 inches across.

17. The actuator assembly of claim 6, wherein the valve cup is 1.0 to 1.5 inches across.

18. The container of claim 8, wherein the valve cup is 1.0 to 1.5 inches across.

19. The container of claim 10, wherein the valve cup is 1.0 to 1.5 inches across.

20. The container of claim 11, wherein the valve cup is 1.0 to 1.5 inches across.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary and therefore non-limiting embodiments and variations of the present invention, and various aspects, features and advantages thereof, are explained in more detail below with reference to and with the aid of the drawings, all of which constitute a part of this specification and include depictions of the exemplary embodiments. In these drawings:

(2) FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C show, respectively, a front-left perspective view, a rear-left perspective view, and a top-left perspective view of a two-piece oversized actuator assembly, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the flip-open undercap in the open position.

(3) FIGS. 2A and 2B show exploded views of the oversized actuator assembly, in accordance with the present invention, as seen from a rear-left perspective and a front-left perspective, respectively, and illustrate the relative sizes and positions of the actuator assembly components in relation to an exemplary valve cup, pressure valve and pressurized plastic vessel.

(4) FIG. 3A shows is a left side exploded view of the actuator assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates the relative sizes and positions of the actuator assembly components in relation to an exemplary valve cup, pressure valve and pressurized plastic vessel.

(5) FIG. 3B illustrates, by way of example, the relative sizes of the diameter of the actuating surface and the diameter of the valve cup in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3A.

(6) FIG. 4 shows a top-left perspective exploded view of the actuator assembly, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates the relative sizes and positions of the actuator assembly components in relation to an exemplary valve cup, pressure valve and pressurized plastic vessel.

(7) FIG. 5A shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of an actuator assembly attached to a bottom-dispensing pressurized plastic vessel, in accordance with the present invention, in which the flip-open undercap is closed and the dispensing end of the plastic vessel is oriented in the downward direction.

(8) FIG. 5B is a sectional view of the actuator assembly and pressurized plastic vessel along line A-A of the device shown in FIG. 5A.

(9) FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C show, respectively, a front-left perspective view, a rear-left perspective view, and a top-left perspective view of a one-piece oversized actuator, in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(10) FIGS. 7A and 7B show exploded views of the one-piece oversized actuator, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as seen from a rear-left perspective and a front-left perspective, respectively, and illustrate the relative sizes and positions of the oversize actuator components in relation to an exemplary valve cup, pressure valve and pressurized plastic vessel.

(11) Similar reference numbers and characters refer to similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

DETAILED DISCUSSION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(12) FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C show, respectively, a front-left perspective view, a rear-left perspective view, and a top-left perspective view of an two-piece oversized actuator assembly 100, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the flip-open undercap 105 in the open position. FIGS. 2A and 2B show exploded views of the two-piece oversized actuator assembly 100, along with the valve cap 135, pressure valve 140 and plastic vessel 155, as seen from a rear-left perspective and a front-left perspective, respectively. Thus, FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the relative sizes and positions of the components of the actuator assembly 100 in relation to a typical valve cup 135, pressure valve 140 and pressurized plastic vessel 155. FIG. 3A shows is a left side exploded view of the two-piece actuator assembly 100 further illustrating the relative positions of the actuator body 110, adaptor 115, valve cup 135, pressure valve 140 (also known as a valve stem) and plastic vessel 155. FIG. 4 shows a top-left perspective exploded view of the actuator assembly, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates the relative sizes and positions of the actuator assembly components in relation to an exemplary valve cup, pressure valve and pressurized plastic vessel.

(13) As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B and 4, actuator assembly 100 includes two individual pieces, including an actuator body 110, comprising a unitary piece of molded plastic material, and an adaptor 115. The actuator body 110 is typically created in an injection-molding step, using methods and techniques well-known in the art, to form a single piece of molded plastic material having a number of features, including a flip-open undercap 105 in the open position, an actuating surface 120, a gap 165, a bridge 125, and a flexible hinge 130. As shown best in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B and 4, the actuating surface 120 on the actuator body 110 has a size (when measured by its cross-sectional area) that is larger than the cross-sectional area of the valve cup 135 attached to the neck portion 145 of the plastic vessel 155. Thus, if the actuator surface 120 and the valve cup 135 both have substantially circular cross sections, as illustrated in the figures, then the diameter of the actuator surface 120 will be longer than the diameter of the valve cup 135. It should be understood, however, that the actuator body 110, actuator surface 120, adaptor 115, valve cup 135 and plastic vessel 155 do not necessarily have circular-shaped cross sections. Any one of these components (or all of them) may have a cross sectional shape that comprises any other shape that would be suitable or desirable, including without limitation, an ellipse, an oval, a rectangle, a square or a triangle, to name a few.

(14) FIG. 3B illustrates, by way of example, the relative sizes of the diameter of the actuating surface and the diameter of the valve cup in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3A. As shown in FIG. 3B, the diameter of the actuating surface 120 is larger than the diameter of the valve cup 135. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the actuating surface is larger than the cross-sectional area of the valve cup. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the actuating surface 120 may be only slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the valve cup 135. In other embodiments, the actuating surface is at least 25% larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area. In still other embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the actuating surface is at least 50% larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area. In still other embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the actuating surface may be larger than the cross-sectional area of valve cup by as much as 75%, 100%, 200%, or more.

(15) The actuator body 110 also includes a sidewall 160, which supports and surrounds the actuating surface 120, and a gap 165, interposed between the outer edge of the actuating surface 120 and the supporting sidewall 160. The gap 165 may comprise, for example, a slit, cutout, space, void or other opening defining the outer edge of the actuating surface 120 and the inner edge of the supporting sidewall 160. At least one bridge 125 spans the gap 165 between the actuating surface 120 and the sidewall 160, thereby connecting a portion of the actuating surface 120 to a section of the sidewall 160. The arrangement and structure of the actuating surface 120, the gap 165 and the bridge 125 permit the actuating surface 120 to move relative to the sidewall 160 by pivoting about the axis of the bridge 125. The movement may be in a vertical, horizontal or rotational direction, relative to the valve cup 135 and the pressure valve 140, depending, for example, on the size, structure and configuration of the valve cup 135 and pressure valve 140. In some embodiments, the gap 165 may be filled, covered, shielded or otherwise protected by an elastomeric plastic material (not shown in the figures), molded into place over, within or underneath the gap 165. The elastomeric material may be desired in order to prevent dirt and other foreign objects or particles from passing into the actuator body 110, damaging the actuator assembly 100 and contaminating the product under pressure inside the plastic vessel 155. Notably, the gap 165 also may not be filled, covered or shielded by any physical material other than open air. In some implementations, the actuator body 110 may have at least two bridges (not shown) connecting at least two portions of the actuating surface 120 to at least two sections of the sidewall 160, so that the actuating surface 120 call move relative to the sidewall 160 by pivoting, rocking and/or teetering about the two axes formed by the bridges.

(16) As previously stated, the actuator body 110 further includes a flip-open undercap 105 having a base wall 107 configured to permit the actuator assembly 100 and the plastic vessel 155 to stand upright on a substantially flat supporting surface (not shown) while the actuator assembly 100 and the plastic vessel 155 are joined or fastened together. A flexible hinge 130 movably connects the flip-open undercap 105 to the sidewall 160 on the actuator body 110 and permits the flip-open undercap 105 to pivot between an open position away from the actuating surface 120 and a closed position adjacent to the actuating surface 120. For bottom-dispensing plastic vessels, the flip-open undercap 105 permits the plastic vessel 155 and actuator assembly 100 to stand upright on a substantially flat surface (not shown) with the dispensing end of the plastic vessel 155 oriented in the downward direction. See FIG. 5B.

(17) FIG. 5A shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of an actuator assembly attached to a bottom-dispensing pressurized plastic vessel, in accordance with the present invention, in which the flip-open undercap is closed and the dispensing end of the plastic vessel is oriented in the downward direction. FIG. 5B is a sectional view of the actuator assembly 100 and pressurized plastic vessel 155 along line A-A of the actuator assembly 100 and pressurized plastic vessel 155 shown in FIG. 5A. As shown in FIG. 5B, the actuating surface 120 also has a valve interface 122 and a dispensing nozzle 124. The valve interface 122 is configured to face and engage with the pressure valve 140 extending from the valve cup 135 on the plastic vessel 155 when the actuating surface 120 is actuated. Note that the valve interface 122 for the two-piece actuator assembly, which is shown in FIG. 5B, may be molded to form substantially the same structure as the valve interface 620 for the one-piece actuator shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. To facilitate using and handling the actuator and pressurized plastic vessel 155, the actuating surface 120 preferably includes protrusions, depressions and/or ridges 126 (or some combination thereof), which act as a guide and non-slipping and ergonomic surface for placement of a user's thumb and/or finger(s) during actuation of the actuating assembly 100.

(18) In the two-piece version of the actuator assembly 100, the adaptor 115 is configured to securely fasten the actuator body 110 to the valve cup 135 on the plastic vessel 155 so that activating the actuating surface 120 by, for example, using one's thumb or forefinger to depress the protrusions, depressions and/or ridges 126 on the actuating surface 120, will cause the actuating surface 120 to move and/or pivot about the bridge 125 so that the valve interface 122 (see FIGS. 5B, 6A and 6B) on the actuating surface 120 will engage with and open the pressure valve 140 extending from the valve cup 135 attached to the neck portion 145 of the plastic vessel 155. Opening the pressure valve 140 in this manner permits the product under pressure to pass out of the plastic vessel 155 through the pressure valve 140 and the dispensing nozzle 124 on the actuating surface 120.

(19) The adaptor 115 may be constructed from any one of a variety of different materials, including without limitation, metal, ceramic or plastic, or some combination thereof. The adaptor 115 comprises a valve cup interface 117 having at least one wall (e.g., a vertically-oriented wall) positioned and configured to stabilize the horizontal position of actuator body relative to the valve cup 135, and at least one other wall (e.g., a horizontally-oriented wall) positioned and configured to stabilize the vertical position of actuator body relative to the valve cup 135. One or both of these vertical and horizontal walls on the valve cup interface 117 may be further adapted to form a frictional fit with one or more outer surfaces of the valve cup 135. The adaptor 115 further includes a flange 119, extending outwardly from the at least one wall of the valve cup interface 117. The flange 119 is arranged to form a frictional fit with the sidewall 160 on the actuator body piece 110. Alternatively, the valve cup interface 117 and the flange 119 on the adaptor 115 may include geometric structures configured to permit the valve cup interface 117 to snap onto the valve cup 135 and the flange 119 to snap into the sidewall 160 of the actuator body 110. The valve cup interface 117 and the flange 119 on the adaptor 115 may also include threads configured to engage with corresponding threads, respectively, on an outer wall of the valve cup and an inner surface of the sidewall 160 on the actuator body 110. In some embodiments, and as shown best in FIGS. 1B and 2A, the flange 119 may include one or more notches 118 configured to provide the clearance necessary for the pivoting and operation of the flexible hinge 130.

(20) The sidewall 160 is configured to put space between the adaptor 115 and the actuating surface 120 so that the actuating surface 120 can move, relative to the adaptor 115 and valve cup 135, and the dispensing nozzle 124 on the actuating surface 120 sits relatively close to the outlet of the pressure valve 140 after assembly. In some implementations, the sidewall 160 on the actuator body 110 is configured to extend from the gap 165 past the flange 119 to form a continuation of the geometric shape of the shoulder portion 150 of the plastic vessel 155, thereby entirely concealing the adaptor 115 from view after the actuator assembly 100 is securely fastened to the valve cup 135 by the adaptor 115. In other implementations, the sidewall 160 does not extend past the flange 119 on the adaptor 115, but the adaptor 115 includes a skirt extending from the flange 119 so as to form a continuation of the geometric shape of the shoulder portion 150 of the plastic vessel 155, which may be desirable for cosmetic reasons or necessary for sanitary reasons.

(21) For certain applications, the flip open undercap may not be necessary or desirable. For these applications, an oversized actuator may be produced, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the unitary piece of molded plastic incorporates a flexible hinge that attaches the actuating surface (instead of a flip-open undercap) to the sidewall and the adapter. An advantage of this arrangement is that the hinged actuator surface can be rotated 180° during molding so as to move it out of the way to permit all of the features along the tops and bottoms of the actuating surface, the hinge, the sidewall and adaptor to be molded from a unitary piece of plastic material in single injection molding step in order to produce a one-piece oversized actuator for a pressurized plastic vessel.

(22) FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C show, respectively, a front-left perspective view, a rear-left perspective view, and a top-left perspective view of a one-piece oversized actuator 600 for a pressurized plastic vessel configured in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 7A and 7B show exploded views of the one-piece oversized actuator 600 as would be seen from a rear-left perspective and a front-left perspective, respectively, and illustrate the relative sizes and positions of the one-piece oversized actuator in relation to the valve cup 615, the pressure valve 645 and the pressurized plastic vessel 650. As shown best in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the one-piece actuator 600 includes an actuator surface 610, connected by a flexible hinge 655 to a sidewall 635 and an adaptor 605, all of which are molded and constructed together from a unitary piece of molded plastic material during an injection molding step. The actuating surface 610 has an outer edge 630 and a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of the valve cup 615 (the difference in size is shown best in FIGS. 7A and 7B).

(23) The actuating surface 610 on the one-piece actuator 600 includes a valve interface 620, which engages the pressure valve 645 when the actuating surface 610 is activated, thereby opening the pressure valve 645 to permit the product under pressure (not shown in the figures) to exit the plastic vessel 650 through a dispensing nozzle 625 in the actuating surface 610. The one-piece actuator 600 further includes at least one flexible hinge 655 that connects a portion of the actuating surface 610 to a section of the sidewall 635. The flexible hinge 655 acts as a fulcrum and permits the actuating surface 610 to move relative to the sidewall 635 by pivoting, rocking or teetering about the axes of the flexible hinge 655. The movement may be in a vertical, horizontal or rotational direction, relative to the valve cup 615 and the pressure valve 645, as appropriate for the size, structure and configuration of the valve cup 615 and pressure valve 645.

(24) Although the exemplary embodiments, uses and advantages of the invention have been disclosed above with a certain degree of particularity, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of this specification and practice of the invention as disclosed herein that alterations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention, which are intended to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof. It should be understood by those skilled in the art, for example, that although the figures and descriptions above show embodiments in which the oversized actuator assembly a substantially cylindrical, alternative embodiments of the actuator assembly having different geometric shapes are also intended to fall within the scope of the invention.